The Monte Amiata loop, among beech woods and old mining villages
Monte Amiata is an ancient extinct volcano in the southern corner of Tuscany, cloaked in beech and chestnut woods and ringed by mercury-mining villages. Far from the postcard hills of the Val d'Orcia, it is an authentic mountain where tourism arrives in tiny numbers.
Foto: LigaDue (CC BY-SA 4.0) — Wikimedia Commons
When you think of southern Tuscany, cypresses and the clay hills of the Val d'Orcia come to mind, photographed in every season. Few lift their eyes towards the dark dome that dominates that horizon: Monte Amiata, an ancient extinct volcano, the highest mountain in southern Tuscany. It is a world apart, made of dense woods, springs, stone villages and a mercury-mining history that has deeply marked the area. Precisely because it does not match the postcard image, Amiata stays little visited and offers silence.
The Amiata loop
You go around the mountain by following the trails that encircle it at mid-height. The classic reference is the Anello dell'Amiata, a hiking route that circles the massif, linking together its various slopes and the villages that guard it. Up high, towards the summit, you walk through majestic beech woods; lower down the chestnut groves take over, once a source of food and timber for the local communities. The climb to the top, where a large metal cross stands, is short and rewards you with a panorama that on clear days ranges from the sea to the other peaks of the Apennines.
The mercury villages
The villages that crown the mountain are the true story of the place. On the Siena side there is Abbadia San Salvatore, which grew up around its ancient abbey and then around the mercury mines, and Piancastagnaio with its Aldobrandesca fortress; on the Grosseto side, Santa Fiora with its springs and fishpond, Castel del Piano and Arcidosso. At Abbadia San Salvatore the mining museum park tells of the miners' toil and the cinnabar era, a hard and little-known chapter of Tuscan history. Each village preserves a compact historic centre, fountains, Romanesque churches and a mountain cuisine based on chestnuts, mushrooms and cheeses.
How to get there
To get there it's best to use the car: Amiata is far from the main railways and public connections are designed more for residents than for tourists. The roads climb in hairpin bends from Grosseto, from Siena or from the Val d'Orcia, and the villages are easy to reach. Once up there, you move about on foot along the waymarked trails that branch off from the high-altitude car parks and the summit area; many stretches follow old mule tracks and forest roads. The full loop calls for good legs and attention to the waymarks, but you can also do just parts of the route, setting off from one of the villages. Those who prefer short walks can stick to the summit area and the high meadows, where the trails are easier and the views already very wide, leaving the longer stretches in the woods to those seeking a full day's walking.
When to go
The ideal time is autumn, between September and October, when the beech woods blaze yellow and red and the chestnut groves yield their fruit, celebrated in the village festivals. June is excellent too, with the woods cool and in bloom while the plain already swelters in the heat. In these months Tuscany's best-known destinations are still clogged with visitors, while here at altitude the air is cool and the trails almost deserted. Winter turns Amiata into a small local ski resort, visited above all by families from the area.
A practical tip: dress in layers even in summer, because at altitude the temperature drops noticeably and mountain weather changes fast. Set off with proper hiking boots, water supplies and a map or GPS track of the trails, since phone coverage in the woods can fail. And treat yourself to a slow stop in one of the villages at the end of the day, perhaps over a plate of chestnuts or a mountain-dairy cheese: it is there, in the quiet rhythm of the mercury villages, that Amiata reveals itself for what it is, a real Tuscan mountain without airs.
Practical guides for Siena
Practical info
When is the best time to visit The Monte Amiata loop?
The recommended time is June, September and October, when it is less crowded.
Where is The Monte Amiata loop?
The Monte Amiata loop is located in Monte Amiata, Tuscany.
